The present invention pertains to an apparatus for improved cat waste containment and management. More specifically, the invention pertains to a cat litter box and litter combination for improved cat waste management.
Although there have been many cat litter boxes developed over the years, there still remain some fundamental problems with conventional cat waste containment and management. For the most part, advances in cat waste management have focused on two main areas: the design of the cat box and the properties of the litter material used in the cat box.
Many recent additions to cat litter box design have been primarily cosmetic; however, there have been some improvements in utility. The basic litter box is generally a receptacle for receiving litter (and subsequently cat waste). Improvements in litter box design have included the addition of sieves which aid the removal of solid waste. That is, many cat boxes allow the contaminated litter to be sieved back into the box for reuse, while the solid waste is removed. Some designs also allow excess liquid waste to pass through a metal screen (below the litter) into a storage container for direct chemical treatment (e.g. lime in the storage container). Despite these advancements, there remain some fundamental problems associated with waste handling. For example, chemical treatment cleanup and disposal is messy and labor intensive. As well, storage containers are typically open trays that are unwieldy, where the likelihood of spillage of urine is high.
With respect to the litter material, sand was initially used. Clay-type particulate litters eventually replaced sand since they were more absorbent and cheaper to produce. More recent advances in litter technology have included clumping clay litter that forms agglomerates (clumps) when wetted (with urine). When sieve-type litter boxes (as described above) or shovels are employed to remove solid waste, these clumps are easily removed.
Despite these advances, there still remain problems associated with clay litters. Agitation of clay litters produces copious amounts of dust. This commonly occurs when, for example, removing spent litter, placing new litter, or especially when sieving the litter. This clay dust is not only messy; but it is also an inhalation hazard. Oftentimes pet owners need to wear dust masks when handling clay litters. Although there have been attempts at producing xe2x80x9cdust freexe2x80x9d clumping clay litters, these ventures have been unsuccessful.
Another problem associated with clay type litters is inherent in their function. That is, they are designed to absorb not only the pet urine, but its associated powerful odor. As with most animal life, cats urinate frequently, commonly many times a day. This requires that the litter be changed often to avoid saturation. Thus, even though clay litters are absorbent, their small particulate size limits their function.
When clay litters are used with litter boxes having collection trays for excess urine, the litter often needs to be saturated before any urine will pass into the tray. This obviates the tray as an effective collection (or deodorizing) element, because avoidance of litter saturation is desirable (due to associated smell and unsanitary conditions).
To overcome this odor problem, deodorizing agents have been added to clay litter formulations. Still, the dust problems remain as well as the need for frequent litter changes to avoid urine saturation.
What is therefore needed is improved apparatus for cat waste containment and management. More specifically, a litter box and novel litter that together cooperate to overcome the above described problems.
The present invention addresses the above-described problems associated with conventional cat litter boxes and clay litters. The invention accomplishes this through a combination of litter box design and a novel litter material. Rather than using a litter material that absorbs liquids, the present invention applies a litter that repels liquids (such as cat urine). In combination with the cat box, the litter allows passage of liquid waste into a unique storage container designed for easy disposal. The litter can be rinsed with water periodically so that residual excreta on the litter is washed into the storage container, making litter changes much less frequent.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a cat waste management system which includes a liquid-repellant litter material and a cat litter box for receiving solid and liquid cat excreta. The cat litter box includes a separation device which facilitate the separation of liquid from the liquid-repellent litter material.
Preferably, the separation device employed to separate the liquids from the liquid-repellent litter material include a filter layer disposed below and supporting the liquid-repellant litter material in the litter box. A sloped region of the box receives and supports the filter layer, whereby liquids impinged upon the liquid-repellent litter material flow through the filter layer and into a recessed separation region below said filter layer of the littler box. Generally, the filter layer is a screen, the mesh of which is small enough that the liquid-repellent litter material will not pass through. In a preferred embodiment, the screen is also made of a liquid-repellent material, so that it is resistant to urine permeation. Preferably the liquid-repellent material from which the screen comprises is polyethylene.
In one configuration, the litter box includes a drainage aperture in the recessed region of the cat litter box through which liquids traverse after passing over the liquid repellent material and through said filter layer. A removable storage container is preferably disposed below the drainage aperture into which the drained liquids collect.
In one specific implementation, the storage container is an essentially closed structure with a collection port aligned below and under the drainage aperture for collection of the drained liquids. The removable storage container further includes a disposal opening for emptying liquids from the removable storage container.
In another embodiment, the removable storage container further include a handle, proximate to said collection port and said disposal opening. The handle is used for engaging the vessel with the cat litter box, removing the vessel from the cat litter box, and carrying the storage container during transport to a site for disposal of the liquid waste. Preferably, the removable storage container slideably engages the cat litter box.
In another aspect of the waste management system of the present invention litter material is liquid repellant as opposed to absorbent as with traditional litter material. Preferably, the liquid-repellent litter material comprises polyethylene. Also preferably, the liquid repellent litter material comprises a collection of individual particles having a mean diameter of between about {fraction (1/16)} and xc2xd inches, and more preferably about xe2x85x9 inch. The litter can have a shape chosen from the group consisting of spheres, cylinders, cubes, etc. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the liquid-repellent litter material comprises pelletized polyethylene. Unlike conventional clay litters, the liquid repellent litter of the present invention need not be changed for between about 30 and 60 days.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the associated drawings.